Box-supporting ear



' Nov. 25, 1930.

' c. NEWMANET A1.

Box' vSUPPORTING EAR Filed Sept.

Patented Nov. 25,1930

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE CIIARIQES NEWMAN, OF NEW YORK, N. Y AND ERNST G. .APPLETON, OF CHICAGO, I ILLINOIS, .ASSIGINORS TO ROACH-APPLETON MANUFACTURING COMPANY, F

CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, A CORPORATION OF ILLINOIS Box-sUrPoRTING EAB' Application led September 12, 1927. Serial No. 218,932.

The present invention relates to box supporting ears.

The present inveiition relates to subject lmatter similar in some respects to that de-l scribed in the patent to Newman and Apple- 4 ton No. 14,597,243, granted August 24, 1926.

relative to the joists or 'studding of a building,l and an object of the present invention is to provide a box supporting ear whlch 1s well adapted for use with the ordinary type of switch box in practically all positions in which said switch boxes may be used.

- A further object is to provide` a box supportingear which will simplify the matter of cooperation between the electrician who sets up the switch boxes and the artisan who mounts the trim around the doorways and the like in a building. v

A further object 1s to provide a box supporting'I ear which is well adaptedto meet the needs of commercial service and which is adaptable for use with a switch box in a great variety of positions of saidswitch box relative to the studding 'or othertimbers of Aa building.

Further objects will appear as the description proceeds. l

Referring to the drawings- Figure 1 is a view infront elevation of a switch box having a pair of box supporting ears mounted' thereon;

Figure 2 is a sectional View taken along the plane indicated by the arrows 2 2 of Figure l, Figure 2 showing the switch box vand lsupporting ears mounted in cooperative relation-` ship with a wall stud; 1

Figures 3 and 4 are views similar to Figure 2 but showing the switch box and supswitch box and a painof supporting ears i' showing a modification of said ears;

Figure 6 is a .view in end elevationof the structure shown in Figure 5; and

Figure 7 is a sectional view taken along the plane indicated by the arrows 7 7 of Figure 5.

The numeral 1 indicates a switch box, and

`thenumerals 2 2 indicate box supporting ears by means of which said Vswitch box 1 may be supported from a walll stud. The illustrated embodiments of the box supporting ears 2 2 are angular in cross section, one iiange,l indicated by the numeral 3, having the double function of providing box at-` taching means and strengthening means and the other flange, indicated bythe numeral 4, being provided withl a plurality of means for locating said ear relative to and securing same to a wall stud or the like.

The iiange 3 in its region adjacent tothe switch box 1 is provided with a pair of holes for the reception. of screws 5 5 for attaching the correspondin box supporting ear to the switch box 1. s shown'in Figure 2, said'ange 3 may taper toward the outer extremity of the ear 2.

i The flange 4 of the ear 2 is provided with an outwardly struck portion 6 disposed adj acent to the switchy box 1. Disposed at spaced regions between the struck out portion 6 and the outer extremity of the'ear 2 are other outstruck portions 7 7, three of said portions 7 being illustrated. Said outstruck portions 7 7 and the portion 6 all extend from the corresponding flange 4 in a direction opposite to the flange 3. The ange y4 is also provided with a lurality of holes 8 8 kfor the reception oi) nails or screws. The outstruck portions 7 provide openings 9 9 which are also available as nail or screw holes. The outstruck portions 7 7 are pointed, whereby to provide attaching prongs for temporarily securing the corresponding ear-to a wall stud prior to the insertionof nails or screws.

The particular switch-box chosen for illustration is provided with a bridging member 10 having the screw-threaded stud 11, which bridging member 10 and stud 11 areadapted 100 to support an electric fixture. Figure 2 shows a construction in which the switch box is disposed closely adjacent to a wall stud 12. In the eventthat the switch box is not to be used adjacent to a doorway or other location in which thc wood trim might interfere with the switch box, it is quite feasible to mount the switch box closely adjacent to a wall stud. as shown in Figure 2. Under other conditions, however, it is effsential to space the switch box away from the nearest wall stud or other supporting device in order to provide room vfor the wood trim. The present invention provides a means whereby the switch box may be mounted close to a wall stud, thereby securing the greatest possible rigidity, or may be mounted at a greater distance from the wall stud or other supporting means, while retaining the advantage that the switch box may be disposed as near to the stud as the wood triln will permit.

Figures 3 and 4 represent conditions in which different sizes of wood trim are u'ed.

Referring to Figure El, the wall stud 12 defines a doorway having a piece of' trim 13 disposed in front of the stud 12. The numeral 14 indicates a piece of trim arranged laterally of the stud 12 and spaced a short distance therefrom, as for example by the block 15. The block 15 provides a recess, indicated by the numeral 16, in which the outer extremities of the ears 2 2 are disposed. The piece of trim 13 is held in spaced relationship with the wall stud 12 by lath (not shown) or other spacing means. According to the disclosure in Figure 3, the prong 7 nearest to the struck out portion 6 is used as a gauge, the middle prong 7 being used as a temporary attachinomeans.

Ieferring now to Figure 4, it will be noted that the piece of trim, indicated by the numeral 17, in front of the wall stud -12 is of greater width than the piece of trim shown in Figure 3. In this instance the middle prong 7 is used as a gauge for locating the switch box relative to the wall stud 12 and the outside prong 7 is used as a temporary attaching means forsecuring the ears to the wall stud 12.

Referring now to Figures 5, 6 and 7, it will be noted that the extremity of the flange 4 of each ear is bent over in the same direction as the prong 7 7. Said end of the flange 4, which end is indicated by the numeral 18, is pointed, whereby it may serve as a prong, thereby serving the same functions as the left-hand prong 7 shown in Figure 4. Said turned over end portion 18 is of larger size than the prongs 7 7, however, and is provided with a nail or screw hole 19, whereby the switch box 1 may be readily supported in a position adjacent to the floor independ- -ently of the wallstuds, the ears being secured to the horizontal timbers of the building.

In service. the electrician can arrange the switch box in a great variety of positions, in the wall using box supporting ears of only one size. In cases where it is possible to locate the switch box adjacent to a wall stud, the members 6 of the two ears 2-2 will be disposed against a wall stud and the adjacent prong 7 will be pressed into the material of the stud, whereupon the prongs 7 will hold the ears temporarily in position, allowing the electrician to conveniently insert nails or screws through the holes 8 8 and 949. In instances where it is essential that the switch box be spaced from the stud, as for example when the distance from the stud is determined by trim, the electrician may use one or another of the prongs 7 as a gauge, as shown in Figures 3 and 4, using the next adjacent prong 7 as a ten'iporary securing means which is effective to hold the switch box in po1ition until the electrician secures the ears by means of nails or screws. The modification shown in Figures 5, 6 and 7 presents the advantage that the switch box may be readily supported either from the vertical studs or from the horizontal timbers. The present invention presents the advantage 'that the electrician need stock only one size of box supporting car to accommodate a great variety of jobs.

Many modifications will occur to those skilled in the art. It is intended to cover all such modifications that fall within the scope of' the appended claims.

1. In combination, a switch boxand a pair of elongated ears, each comprising an integral member having two flanges in rightangular relationship with one another, said two flanges extending throughout substantially the whole length of said ear, one of said flanges comprising a box attaching portion, the other of said flanges having a por tion struck therefrom and extending in a direction opposite to said one flange, said struck out portion beiiig adapted to operate as a gauge against a wall stud, said other fiange being provided with prongs struck therefrom in the same direction as said struck 'out`portion, certain of said prongs being `out the whole length of' said ear, one of said flanges being formed adjacent to one end of said ear for attachment to said switch box, the other of said flanges including a plu rality of struck out portions spaced from j one another longitudinally of said ear, cer-- tain of sald struck out portions being pointed whereby to serve either as prongs or gauges.

3. In combination, a switch box and a pair of elongated ears, each comprising an integral member having two flanges in rightangular relationship with one another, sald two lianges extending substantially throughout the whole length of said ear, one of said l I iianges being formed adjacent to one end of said ear for attachment to said switch box, the other of said flanges including a plurallty of struck out portions spaced from one another longitudinally of said ear, the struck4 out portions being located adjacent to the end of said ear opposite to said first men-` toned end, the struck out portioh closest to said first mentioned end being adapted to operate as a gauge in combination with a wall stud and a plurality of the remainder of said struck out portions being pointed whereby to operate either as gauges ortemporary securing means.

4: Means for supporting a switch box from a"wall stud at selectable distances therefrom whereby`to combine a maximum of rigidity with the advantages of clearing wood trim located adjacent thereto comprising a box supporting ear formed of an integral member having two flanges in right'angular relationship with one another, said two anges extending throughout substantially the whole length of said ear, cluding a box attaching portion, the other of said anges having a portion Vstruck therefrom and extending in a direction opposite to said one ange, said Vstruck out portion being adapted' to operate as a gauge against a wall stud,'said other iange being out portion,

provided with a plurality of prongs struck Y therefrom in the same direction as said struck said prongs being adapted to operate either as securing means or as gauges in connection with said wall stud, said struck out portion and said prongs being longitudinally of said ear.

5. A box supporting ear comprising an" integral member having two iianges disposed in right angular relationship with one another throughout substantially the length of said ear, one of said flanges being formed for attachment to a switch box, ,the other of said anges portions spacedA along said `length of said ear, one/of said struck out portions comprlslng a foot at an extremity of `said ear and/being provided with an aperturefor the reception of alsecuring means. y

Signed at New York, New York," by CHARLES NEWMAN, the 23rd 1927 and at Chicago, Illinos, by ERNST G.

APrLEToN, the 7th day ofSeptember, 1927. CHARLES NEWMAN.

ERNST G. APPLETON.

spaced having a plurality of struck out 'day of August,

one of said flanges in 

